Okaz

Another reason for the lack of optimism was what happened on the first day of the talks, especially after the statement of the UN special envoy to Yemen, Martin Griffiths, who expressed his desire to improve the lives of the Yemeni people.

ARE there any hopes of the Sweden talks putting an end to the Yemeni crisis, or at least improving the situation to a level where there is a guarantee for eventually reaching a viable political solution that is not subject to the Houthi blackmailing? Or is there a possibility of finding a political approach away from the situation where an outlaw militia, which is controlled remotely by outside forces, determines the fate of the nation and shape the future of the country and its people?

It looks like the optimism that comes with these talks, given the Houthis› nature of dealing with the idea of talks and their pampering by the UN through its special envoy and the conditions and demands that they have imposed prior to accepting to attend the peace talks, is short-lived. All indications prove that the Houthi outlaws are not serious about putting an end to the bloodshed in Yemen. It is evident from the type of people who make up the Houthi negotiation team that will attend the peace talks. Apparently, they are going to present what they were told by Iran.

Another reason for the lack of optimism was what happened on the first day of the talks, especially after the statement of the UN special envoy to Yemen, Martin Griffiths, who expressed his desire to improve the lives of the Yemeni people. This means the Houthis can continue their aggression in Yemen but in a lower level to slightly improve the living conditions of the Yemenis. The talk about exchanging prisoners and bodies of people killed in fighting is not a real achievement. The Houthis applied pressure to evacuate the wounded and smuggle some members of the Iranian nation guard and the Hezbollah in this deal, with total silence on the part of the UN special envoy, although the legitimate government confirmed their presence.

If the Houthis refused to accept the solution according to UN resolution number 2216, the Gulf initiative and the outcome of the Yemeni national dialogue, as they had claimed before traveling to Sweden, then the future of Yemen will be in jeopardy and the UN will be responsible for allowing these talks to take place without accepting the above mentioned principles as the basis of any negotiations.